need calcium supplements

[fkdenton]

It has been a busy last couple of days, I have been driving all over the state getting frags(thanks wes and mark)and when I wans in champain I stopped at sailfins to look around. They did a water test for me and amonia, nitrite, and nitrate were all 0. The only bad thing was calcium at like 340. They said it was supposed to be over 400. Rather than buy all the supplements that he pointed to I figured I would ask you guys what would be best. I dont want to add a ton of stuff. I would prefer one or two things to add once a week or so. Also what is the best kind of test kit to test for calcium? On another subject I was very impressed with sailfins. I wish I lived closer to it.

 

[tcottle]

Everything to need to know. I like the Salifert kits- you need to test for Ca, Alk and Mg

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

I use Prestone Driveway Heat for Ca and baking soda for Alk (along with Kalkwasser top off). Epson salts for Mg but I am switching over to a mix of Epson salt and MgCl

 

[brad23]

+1 for prestone, it works very well.

 

[lglamb]

fwiw, I was in Sam's Club on an unrelated research mission
a few weeks ago. Noticed they had some big bags of ice
melt that listed MgCl. (at least I think it did)

 

[fkdenton]

OK so I should get it from ice melt? I would prefer a supplement from a company that makes it for reefs. What about purple up? He also pointed out one from kent

 

[Horace]

fkdenton, I also use Prestone Driveway Heat. Dont just get some random one, but this one works great and is super cheap. If you feel you must buy a reef labeled one feel free to do so but your throwing your money away for no reason....A 50lb bag of PDH costs only about $20 and it will last you for YEARS. You will spend $20 on a calcium supplement that will last you less than 6 months.

 

[fkdenton]

How much do you use, how often, how do you put it in?

 

[Horace]

Well the recipe is 2 cups of PDH to make a gallon of additive. I dose about 50ml/day. At that rate each gallon will last almost 3 months. Needless to say can you imagine how many cups of PDH there are in a 50lb bag????

Keep in mind I have a 75g SPS tank. Most of my corals are frags at the moment though so Im not usign a ton of additive either yet. I would guess once my SPS take off I will be looking at closer to 100ml or more per day. If I was adding calcium with a supplement in those amounts I would be spending ALOT of money on B-Ionic (most popular 2-part additive for alk/calc).

 

[blooper74]

How do you add the PDH? Do you put it in your topoff water? Or do you have it in a reactor of sorts?

 

[tcottle]

bloop and fkdenton

You really need to read http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

You adjust your dose based of the reading from the Ca and Alk tests. Once you get to stability you can just add a metered amount and check levels weekly. I am using receipe #2 and add 100mL/day

BTW just adding Ca without the corresponding Alk is pointless

 

[blooper74]

I was just curious as to how he is doesing it that's all.

 

[Benny Z]

what about dosing iodine for a softy tank? recommended?

 

[Horace]

Most folks do not dose iodine. I use an dosing pump to dose my calc/alk but it can be dosed manually as well. The calculator will tell you exactly how much to put in (it will be the same amount for each)

 

[Horace]

Tcottle is using alot more than I am because he is using recipe #2. The alk part of that is much less concentrated if you use that version. I prefer to use recipe #1 because it raises PH a tad and its more concentrated and lasts longer because of it....infact its exactly twice as strong, thus why he is adding twice as much .

 

[hounddog01]

I still prefer B-ionic. 1 gallon of each will last me 5-6 months for 30.00. I do not think it is too expensive. I know many people use Randy's Recipe and I think it works ok, I just prefer b-ionic because of the other things it brings. I have had good sucess with it so far.